Ooh, do it F_K! It would be so much fun to have you along for the ride.

I can't see your temp-cover right now, Gymmie, because the site-blocker that's installed on our computer is active, but I'll definitely comment later! Me, I have no idea what I'll do for my cover. My concept is kind of a hard one to think up a cover for. Hmm. I'm running ideas through my head, but it might be awhile before I think up one that I'll actually use.

Today, methinks, is the day (or one of the days ) that I'll be outlining my novel. Wish me luck!

*skips off*

C'mon, F_K... the real reason we do this is *because* we have no time. Which is what makes our accomplishment so wonderful.

Granted, the one year I didn't win was last year, (and I did reach 25,000), and that's 'cause I was moving from one side of the country to the other (literally), had just gotten married, was doing classes, and looking for a full-time job, and then moving *again* to a new apartment. So this year I'll do it, hopefully not move, still do classes, and hold down a job. Hmm....

*wishes Sweeet all the best*

Lovely cover Gymfan! I quite like it!

I hope in the end you decide to join us F_K and Mehinen!

So! Here's some questions to continue the discussions (and, to help the newcomers).

Schedules: Did you have any? Did you have certain times in the day that you protected to write? What worked and what didn't?

Outlines: Did you write a plot line? Was it detailed or a simple basic one so that you could have tons of room to work? Again, what worked and what didn't? What would you all suggest by way of this?

Thanks for all the comments on the cover. Sweeet, here's a link; see if that works for you.

RE: Schedules. I had a ton of time last year, so I just wrote whenever I could, bouncing around on the different computers in the house, depending on which one was open at one time. I used Google Docs, so it was super easy.

This year, I'll be starting my first job just days before NaNo starts, and my schedule will be CRAZY. So I'm not sure how set writing time will go, but I am going to try and set aside an hour or two each day, and get a minimum of 2k written, with a goal of 3k or so. If I can do that, I can finish early before the Thanksgiving rush starts (I'll be working in retail. >_<).

As far as plotting goes, I think it really depends on the person. Me, I've always had a very good idea of how my story was going to play out, and NaNo was spent just writing and figuring out the little details. This year, I've got to get EVERYTHING planned beforehand, because I won't have as much time to hammer out plot holes during November as I did last year. Doing so much planning drives other people nuts, but I can't just wing it...it's not in my nature.

Schedules? Outlines? I comprehendeth not.
Last minute panic, on the other hand, works really well, I find. And coffee. Lots of coffee.

I first took part in NaNo last year, and it was so much fun! I decided that I would use NaNo to totally rewrite the story I'd been working on for several years (I used my past drafts as a rough outline) and it worked brilliantly. Being forced to write, without stopping to edit or check spelling, was so good for me. Since I took part I've been able to write much more quickly and much better, too - at least I think so.

Last year I had university and this year it'll be the same. The thing is not how much time you have but how you use that time. When I had a spare minute I just sat and wrote! It meant that I didn't get out that much - at least, not as much as I might normally - but I still did most things like going to classes, to church, to the Christian Union events at university ... and I still managed the 50,000 words. Actually, I started late. I was away the first four days of November, which set me back around 5,000 words. That really put me off the whole thing for a week or so, but with encouragement from others taking part I was able to figure out how much I needed to write (2,500 words per day to make it up) and I actually reached the word count goal a day early!

Gymfan, I think your cover is lovely! I've made one, but at the moment it has my name on it. This year I'm planning to write a book called "The Dance", which is a historical romance kind of story. I've done quite a bit of research this time, which has been surprisingly good fun! I've also planned quite a lot of it, which is a first. Though last year I had previous drafts to help me, I only looked back at them when I got stuck. I tried to just write. This time, though, I have a much clearer idea of what I want to get written down.

I'd really encourage people to take part. NaNo's a great learning experience, and it's very good for forming new friendships, too. Nothing like a good word war for that ...

Good friendships! For sure. Before NaNo I didn't know very many other writers here on NWeb, but now I do! It's very encouraging to know that other people like to do the same things you do and are doing a challenge right alongside you.

I sat down and figured out my plot a little bit today. I had a really big idea for the actual plot of my novel- though actually, the "plot" won't be a real plot at all. It'll just sort of be like it's telling a story- a high school story.

A high-school story should be funny to tell, since I'm homeschooled and have only been to one day of actual high-school in my life, but I'll pump my friends and parents for information and see what I come up with.

Plotwise? I find that having a vague idea what direction I'm going helps . Mostly I'm with Mr. Anderson. I don't really have specific times penciled in to my schedule where I'm supposed to write; it's just sort of a nagging thing in the back of my head saying, "You should NaNo sometime today..."

Though, this year I think know my ending. It is good to know where you're heading, and how you want to end! Last year I had no clue whatsover where my story was going to end. It could have gone until doomsday, except Menelve sat me down (in YM chat ) and helped me figure how to end it by brainstorming with me. (Thanks Anna!)

I've checked that my old account is still working - I'm Wise Queen, I failed in 2004, won in 2007, and failed last year. I think I'll try again this year, but I don't know whether I'll have time to do it properly.

Perhaps I'll be a rebel and try to finish what I started in 2007 - I reached 50 000 words, but I didn't finish the story - that wouldn't count for winning, though.

Or else I might decide to write about Varnafindë's youth. Her parents were Elves of Middle-earth who stumbled into Narnia, so she was born there and lived for the first five hundred years of her life close to Cair Paravel, before Aslan sent her back to Middle-earth. (She currently lives in Ditto Town. )

It would be cross-over fanfiction, which is just as acceptable as original fiction - but I couldn't publish it other than on fanfiction sites.

Re: planning

I don't think i'd enjoy it much if i didn't have some idea of where the story was going. It would start out as one thing, devolve into something else and end up as a horrid mishmash of plot holes and random sequences that would have absolutely no redeemable value.

The first year, i had trouble settling on a plot, so i took the three basic ideas i had and slammed them together, with only the vaguest ideas of where each was going. Second year, i made a "chart" that told me where to get the characters by the end of every day; unfortunately, the characters fell in love with traveling the countryside in early winter, and by the time i hit the important parts i wasn't interested any more.

This year, i intend to make a chart and follow it, no matter how much my characters drag their feet. My real problem is, i'm not sure yet what exactly the plot will be. I have a few ideas i'm toying with, but i'm not cramming them together again.

Last year, I'd write a few words in the morning, but never did much until later in the evening, when I'd write frantically to meet (and hopefully exceed by a few hundred words) that day's goal.

I didn't have a plan for what would happen in the story, either, I just let it happen. This year, however, I intend to have a clear-cut ending destination in mind.

As bad as my wrist and shoulder have been lately, I'm not sure. Time's been speeding by so fast it may be November before I realize it. I'd really like to though. What I may do at least, is try to finish another writing project I've been working on (also fiction) even though it isn't official.

Last year was the first year I actually plotted my novel out, and the sole reason that I got to 25,000 words. The real reason I didn't get past that is because I hadn't plotted very far, as I didn't think I'd get very far. It was much, much easier to write when I had a plot to guide me.

If you're interested in plotting, I'd suggest "FreeMind" software. It is free, and it's an easy to edit web outline, and I love it...

I'll be making use of it again this year, if I ever figure out what on earth I'm writing...

Hey everyone,
Well, after hearing Aitb talking so much about NaNoWriMo, I've decided to join. On the site, I'm "TheCalligraphyPen".

I'm a little anxious about whether I'll be able to write the story well, and etc. But, its still really exciting to be a participant for the first time.

My story had been on my mind for some time, and I thought I'd use it as a NaNoWriMo story. The Genre for my novel will be Realistic Fiction. It's basically about a girl who moves into the neighbourhood and meets a girl who is very talented at alot of things, and she's also blind. It's not going to be a cheesy story of "being the best friends ever." It's going to be about how they learn to thank God for everything they have, even when there seems to be a "mountain" trying to block a better perspective. So yeah, I'm praying that it'll turn out good, and I'm really excited for NaNoWriMo.

~CSLN

Sounds neat, CSLN! I'm really excited that you'll be joining us- it's a really cool, insane, fun time.

As I was updating my NaNo novel info I came across a list of genres. So I'm curious- what qualifies as Historical Fiction? Do the 1940's/50's count?

I like your cover, Gymmie! But I'm just a wee bit confused: I'm pretty sure an ice skating spiral is when you lift your leg up behind you, hold your arms out, and glide. Am I confused, or is the picture for your cover not meant to be the specific illustration for the word "spiral"?

Inspired by Gymmie ( ) and wanting to work on photoshop, I got creative and made up a cover idea for my NaNo novel. Enjoy!

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt13 ... llofus.jpg

I like your cover, Gymmie! But I'm just a wee bit confused: I'm pretty sure an ice skating spiral is when you lift your leg up behind you, hold your arms out, and glide. Am I confused, or is the picture for your cover not meant to be the specific illustration for the word "spiral"?

You're right, technically the skater is doing a spin. But I thought it illustrated the gist of the book better, in that she's spinning or spiraling so fast that she can't control it, much like how her life spins out of control after DISASTER STRIKES. So, in figure skating speak the image is incorrect, but in literary metaphor it's perfect.
Besides, "Spirals" sounds like a much cooler title than "Spinning".

Love your cover, btw! Looks very cute. And I'm pretty sure that anything not set in present-ish time is considered historical.